House unanimously votes to probe Trump assassination attempt

Representatives on Wednesday voted unanimously to form a panel to investigate security failures leading up to the shooting on July 13. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., earlier this week said they planned to establish a task force that will comprise seven Republicans and six Democrats. Before the vote, Johnson and Jeffries did not say who they planned to appoint to the panel. Representative Mike Kelly, R-Pa., on Monday introduced the resolution to create the panel. Kelly’s district includes Butler County where the shooting occurred. Under the terms of the resolution, the panel will submit a final report by Dec. 13 and the panel will sunset or dissolve 10 days after it files its report.

What exactly will the panel investigate? Task force members are expected to investigate the actions of local, state, and federal officials related to the shooting. The panel will have authority to subpoena individuals for testimony and may submit interim reports during the investigation. The final report could include recommendations for legislative reforms aimed at preventing future security failures.

Where do other investigations stand? Federal agencies including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are reviewing the incident with several other congressional committees. FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to discuss what authorities had learned about the would-be assassin. The 20-year-old was killed at the rally by the Secret Service seconds after he shot at Trump. Wray said the shooter researched the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and that he flew a drone over the Trump rally venue hours before the event. U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Tuesday resigned after she testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee the day before.